Elephants carrying Buddha’s relics

This railing stone represents the last episode of Buddha’s life. According to Mahaparinirvana Sutta, just after the death of Buddha, the 8 ruling clans of North-eastern India claimed his remains on grounds of kinship. To avoid war, Drona, a wise Brahmin suggested that the Buddha’s relics be equally distributed amongst all the eight clans. The offer was accepted and the sacred relics were divided and transported by the kings, amidst great pomp, to their various kingdoms, where Stupas were built to enshrine them.
This frieze represents a royal procession with four caparisoned elephants, with the kings balancing the reliquary caskets, while driving the elephants with the goad. The railing design ends with a kneeling elephant yielding the lotus stem, known as ‘Kalpavalli’ or ‘wish fulfilling stem’, that turns into beautiful jewellery.
The procession starts with dancers accompanied by female musicians playing on drums, castanets, and a harp. According to textual references, the Mallas celebrated the death of Buddha with dance and music, as he died at the age of eighty. Even today in India, the funeral procession of the elderly is accompanied with flowers and music. The low relief on the frieze is characteristic of Shunga art.